21 Jan: Classic Serial - The Bastard of Istanbul, 1
By Elif Sharak; dram. Hattie Naylor in two episodes. The story, published in 2006, centres around Asya Kazanci and Armanoush Tchakhmakhchian. It is set in Arizona; San Francisco, California; and Istanbul, Turkey. The novel deals with their families and how they are connected through the history of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. At age nineteen, Armanoush travels secretly to Istanbul to search for her Armenian roots. (In June 2006, a nationalist lawyer accused Elif of insulting her homeland by writing about the genocide: deportations, murders and atrocities carried out on Armenians, all denied by the Turkish government).Lara Sawalha as Asya, Gillian Saker as Armanoush, with Raad Rawi, Laurel Lefkow, Nathalie Armin, Mia Soteriou, Philip Arditti, Anna Savva, Baris Celiloglu, Jonas Khan, Murak Erkek and Catriona Stirling. Producer: Nicholas Jackson.

23 Jan: How Success Ruined Me
By Christopher Green. Fred Barnes (1885 – 1938) was an English music hall singer known for his song, "The Black Sheep of the Family", which he first performed in 1907. Although popular on stage, Barnes became well-known for his erratic private life and was often mentioned in the press. He was openly homosexual (the closest thing to a 'gay icon' permissible at the time, to paraphrase Jane Anderson in RT). This is not a normal afternoon drama; the format is that of Christopher Green and Roy Hudd 'rehearsing' a play which Christopher has written about Fred Barnes. Cast: Christopher and Roy, with producer Jonquil Panting.

24 Jan: The Duke
By Shon Dale-Jones. Puzzling entry in RT: a one-man show where S D-J explores the fate of a family heirloom, the quandary of a scriptwriter, and a refugee crisis. "Blending fantasy and reality, it gently challenges priorities". Producer: James Robinson; BBC Wales.

25 Jan: Freezing to Death, and How to Avoid It
By Abigail Youngman. This is based on actual events. In 1739, Empress Anna Ivanovna arranged the marriage of two of her jesters. After the ceremony the couple were forced to spend the night in an ice palace. Did they survive? This is the story of what happened. Mikhail, old and young: Karl Theobald, Avdotya: Mandeep Dhillon, Traveller and Grigori Petrovich: John MacKay. Producer: Alison Crawford.

26 Jan: Culture
By Ali Smith, rpt. This is a world where antibiotics no longer work. Anna is a doctor and has to decide, each day, which patients to treat and which ones to leave. Anna: Pippa Nixon, Ned: David Calder, Maria: Olivia Popica, Shireen: Chetna Pandya, Quartermaster: Philip Fox, Celine: Sarah Ridgeway, Tom: Tom Forrister, Bailiff: Emilio Doorgasingh. Producer: Sally Avens.

29 Jan: 4/4: Scherzo
By Robin Brooks and Sarah Wooley. Ep. 2. The Benjamin Quartet, with its new member, has played to a tiny audience In Brussels. Fergus has been taken ill with a suspected heart attack. Paul, the new member: Alasdair Hankinson, Fergus: Simon Donaldson, Archie: Robin Laing, Skye: Shauna Macdonald, Claire/receptionist: Karen Bartke, ,taxi driver/doctor: Kenny Blyth. Producer: Gaynor Macfarlane. Music supplied by the Edinburgh Quartet.

30 Jan: The Beard
By Timothy X Atack. A film actress's life alters suddenly when a beard grows on her face. She hides, but is eventually tracked down by a fan who wants to know what has happened to her. Thea Collins: Amara Karan, Collette Cibulski, Cerys and Kathy Crane: Amelia Bullmore, Sally Martin: Mandeep Dhillon, beauty therapist: Zara Ramm. Producer: Alison Crawford.

31 Jan: Wide Open Spaces
By Jane Wainwright, rpt. On the first anniversary of his daughter's death, a young father is determined to overcome his agoraphobia and visit her grave for the first time. Samuel: Paapa Essiedu, May: Sarah McDonald Hughes, Aoife: Fiona Clarke, Dad: Lloyd Peters. Producer: Charlotte Riches.

1 Feb: The Red
By Marcus Brigstocke, rpt. This won the Best Original Single Drama at the Audio Drama Awards on 28 Jan. A repeat of Marcus's first radio play, about a recovering alcoholic who has temptation offered to him when he inherits a cellarfull of wine from his late father. The recording was done on location in a 400-year-old wine cellar. Benedict, the recovering alcoholic: Rufus Jones, the ghost of his father: David Calder, Peter: Marcus Brigstocke. Producer: Caroline Raphael.

2 Feb: Borderland
By Sarah Woods, rpt. This play won the Tinniswood Award. It is set a few years into the future. Thriller, from an idea by John Norton, based on real stories of migrants. In the near future, a mother and daughter travel across the borders of England and Wales and over the Irish Sea in search of a better life. Layla: Juliet Cowan, Rabaa: Sirine Saba, with Ali Ariaie, Esme Robinson, John Norton, Ali Goolyad, Sion Pritchard and Claire Cage. Producer: James Robinson, BBC Wales.

3 Feb: Saturday Play - Boy
By Raold Dahl, rpt, ad. Lucy Catherine. Patrick Malahide as Dahl, the narrator. The play is a dramatization of some memories of Roald's own childhood. There are references to his unhappy years at Repton school. Sophie Dahl, Roald's grand-daughter, recalls that one treat for the boys was the delivery of plain cardboard boxes from Cadbury's, asking the boys to test them and score the bars of chocolate. Narrator: Patrick Malahide, young Dahl: Tarkan Uzun, teenage Dahl: Asaac Rouse, mother: Joanna van Kampen, with Daniel Noel, Devon Ruckley, Adie Allen, Richard Nichols, Elizabeth Bennett, Jason Barnett, Tom Forrister, Sam Rix, Kirsty Oswald, Nick Underwood, James Lailey, Sean Baker. Producer: Helen Perry.

4 Feb: Classic Serial: Bride and Groom, 1
By Alisa Ganieva, ad. from the novel in two parts by Bethan Roberts, from the translation by Carol Apollonio. The story follows the relationship which develops between two strangers when they return to their home town from Moscow.

7 Feb: The Book of Yehudit
By Adam Usden, rpt. This play won the Imison Award. A young Jewish woman wants a divorce from her young husband, but her husband refuses to cooperate. In the Jewish world a divorse can only be granted if the husband is willing to allow it. Yehudit, the woman: Yasmin Paige, Naftali: Henry Devas, Daniel: Ashley Margolis, Baruch: David Fleeshman, Rochel: Kate Anthony, Esther: Rosie Fleeshman, Rabbi Steinberg: Jonathan Keeble. Producer: Charlotte Riches.

8 Feb: The Archivist
By Kellie Smith, rpt. was described in Radio Times as a psychological thriller. I'm not so sure; 'suspense' might be a better description, and it had a few things to say about social media and its effect on our lives. Ben starts to film his family for his personal archive which is, in itself, fairly harmless. However he then shares everything on Facebook and elsewhere. He can't spend a day without videoing something and then sharing it with the world. His partner, Clare, gets sick of it and imposes a ban. Unfortunately Ben is addicted and can't stop; he finds a workaround and continues as before. Will Clare find out? Ben: Adam Nagatis, Clare: Christine Bottomley, John: Henry Devas, Nadia: Fiona Clarke. Producer: Pauline Harris.

9 Feb: The Man Who Bit Mary Magdalene
By Colin Bytheway; comedy, rpt. A play about a religious relic. When an earthquake hits his cathedral, the Bishop has a vision of the Virgin Mary who tells him how to raise money for the repairs. There is a holy relic at an abbey in Normandy. If he can borrow it, it will bring in the punters. Bishop of Lincoln: David Jason, Adam: Miles Jupp, Virgin Mother: Patsy Kensit, Father Henty: Robert Bathurst, Brother Thibault: Kenneth Cranham. Producer: Celia be Wolff.

10 Feb: Sat. Play - National Theatre of Brent -Illustrated Guide to Sex & How It Was Done
By Patrick Barlow and Martin Duncan; performed by Patrick Barlow and John Ramm. Producer: Liz Anstee; director: Martin Duncan. Desmond Olivier Dingle and Raymon Box guide us through various representations of sex, with vignettes ranging from Oedipus Rex to Brokeback Mountain. Jane Anderson describes this in RT as "like Carry-On for Mensa members".

12 Feb: 4/4 Finale Con Porca
By Sarah Wooley. After playing in a festival in Lucca, the quartet is on its way home. Then the musicians receive another booking. Paul: Alasdair Hankinson, Fergus: Simon Donaldson, Archie: Robin Laing, Skye: Shauna Macdonald, Kelly: Karen Bartke, with Laurie Brown and Kyle Gardiner. Producer: Gaynor Macfarlane. Music supplied by the Edinburgh Quartet.

13 Feb: The Things we Never Said
By Ming Ho, rpt. A play focusing on the bond between mother and daughter. Woman: Lia Williams, Mother: Sian Phillips. Producer: Abigail le Fleming.

15 Feb: The B Towns - All the Beauty in the World
By Eve Steele. Set in Essex. A young woman graduates and then goes home, but there's not much hope of finding a good job, in spite of the degree. Sarah: Jenny Platt, Adrian: Wilf Scolding, Dave: Andrew Westfield, Jacqui: Susan Twist, Lee: Gary Wood, Michelle: Siobhan Finneran. Producer: Gary Brown.

17 Feb: Saturday Play - Dead Ringers - An Alien has Landed
"Dead Ringers" started in 2000. After 18 series, the team has come up with a radio drama. An alien named Geoff lands in Britain. The plot involves 'Strictly' and 'Bake Off'; other than that, I know nothing. Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Lewis MacLeod, Debra Stevenson, Duncan Wisbey. No author credited in RT; producer Bill Dare. 45m

18 Feb: Classic Serial slot: The Robber Bride, 1
By Margaret Attwood; dram. in 2 parts by Sarah Wooley (though Sarah not credited in RT). This is part of the 'Riot Girls' season.Jane Anderson, in RT, tells us that the story was inspired by the Grimms' fairy tale "The Robber Bridegroom". Zenia, a frightful woman, lures three men into her lair. Zenia: Tanya Moodie, Roz: Teresa Gallagher, Tony: Barbara Barnes, Charis: Isabella Inchbald, West: David Reakes, Billy: Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong, Uncle Vern: Rupert Holliday-Evans. Producer: Marion Nancarrow.

28 Feb: An Instinct for Kindness
By Chris Larner. A factual account of his wife's struggle with multiple sclerosis and her decision to end her life. Chris met his wife Allyson in 1982 when they were actors in a touring theatre company. They married, and divorced, but kept in touch, and now Chris is helping Allyson with one final thing - making use of the services of Dignitas. (summarised from Jane Anderson's piece in RT). Chris: Chris Larner, Allyson: Caroline Catz, Vivienne: Carolyn Pickles, the doctor: Georgie Glen, Arthur: Philip Bretherton, Petra: Julie Teal, Chambermaid: Kerry Gooderson, young George: Oliver Zetterstrom, older George: Luke Bailey. Producer: Sally Avens.

1 Mar: A Pact Of Silence
By Penny Woolcock. Play about the dictatorship in Argentina in 1976, seen through the eyes of a young woman. With Emily Berrington. Producer: Natasha Dack, director: Penny Woolcock.

2 Mar: Playing Dead
By Vivienne Harvey. Roza arrives in Erbil in the war-torn country she fled as a child, with her boyfriend Liam. She has just leaned that her father's remains have been found in a mass grave. He was last heard of three decades ago when Iraq was fighting Kurdistan, which ended with the deaths of tens of thousands of Kurds. The body is not where it should be. Roza: Nadia Emam, Liam: William Ash, Rojan/Namak: Shervin Alenabi, Ari: Murat Erkek, Mother/Bayan: Sahaniaz Hama Ali, Shad/armed guard: Aso Sherabayani, Jenny: Susan Twist. Producer: Nadia Molinari; directors: Vivienne Harvey and Nadia Molinari.

3 Mar: Saturday Play - Shafted
By John Godber. Comedy drama, starring a bad-tempered former miner and his wife, whom we follow in the 30 years after Scargill's miners' strike of 1984-5. Harry: John Godber, Dot: Jane Godber, Producer: Toby Swift. 60m.

6 Mar: The Unforgiven, 2
Details as 5 Mar. Trying to peel back the layers of this old case, Grace must face her own fears.

7 Mar: The Unforgiven, 3
Details as 5 Mar. The team desperately need Frankie Wharton's forensic skills if they are to find the kidnapper and save a life.

8 Mar: The Unforgiven, 4
Details as 5 Mar. Mel Silver, a fearless 20-year old policewoman, has only two days to find the victim alive.

9 Mar: The Unforgiven, 5
Details as 5 Mar. Conclusion.

10 Mar: Saturday Play - The Chosen One
By Avi Garvi, set in India. Thriller. 45m. Inspired by the writer's experience of growing up in a commune run by a guru who was less saintly than he professed. In the play, a young woman infiltrates a secretive and sinister religious group. She is determined not to lose her freedoms. Priti: Yuki Ellias, Ravi Baba: Anand Tiwari, Honey: Shernaz Patel, Crystal: Abir Abrar, Vyras: Vivek Madan, Prince: Sukant Goel. Others parts performed by Prerna Chawla, Shikha Talsania, Nadir Khan and Chaitnya Sharma. Producer: Nadir Khan, director: Avi Garvi.

13 Mar: When Last I Saw You
By Peter Whalley, rpt. from 2015. Psychological thriller; a young woman believes she has found the man who attacked her five years earlier. Jane: Lyndsey Marshal, Mike: Graeme Hawley, Neil: Will Ash, Cath: Nicola Ferguson, detective: Kate Coogan. Producer: Pauline Harris.

14 Mar: School Drama, 1
By Andy Mulligan. A repeat of the Goldhawk production from about a year ago. First episode in a four-part series from Indie production company Goldhawk; further episodes broadcast tomorrow, Friday and a 60m episode on Saturday. A formerly well-known TV star is brought into a failing school to help stage a production of Romeo and Juliet. As ever in Goldhawk productions, location recordings are used throughout. There are also some uncomfortable truths about certain parts of the UK education system; I hope the Education Minister was listening. Cast - Tom Hollander, Sian Gibson, Tony Gardener, Heather Craney, Rob Jarvis, Divian Ladwa, Rebecca Emerton, Rory Greenwood, Rob Merriam, Finn Elliot, Floss Willcocks, Susie Baxter, Vincent Ebrahim, and students from Portsmouth Grammar School. Music by Jon Quin. Producer: Emma Hearn; director John Dryden. Indie production, as I said before.

15 Mar: School Drama, 2
By Andy Mulligan. Deer Park Academy is hoping to turns itself around; part of the process is to allow the staging of an unusual production of Romeo and Juliet. The ex-TV star hired for the job breaks all the rules and gets through to the kids, but it's a dangerous game he is playing.

16 Mar: School Drama, 3
By Andy Mulligan. The first night looms, but there are problems...

23 Mar: My Mad-Life Crisis
The 'Madness' frontman tells his life story in the play "My Life in Words and Music" by Graham McPherson (Suggs) and Toby Follett, forst performed at the Edinburgh Fringe. Adapted for radio by Owen Lewis. Cast: Suggs, Ewan Bailey and Philippa Stanton. Producer: Karen Rose; director: Owen Lewis. Pianist: Dean Mumford. Indie (Sweet Talk).

26 Mar: 1977
By Sarah Wooley, rpt. Drama about the composer Angela Morley, formerly known as Wally Stott. The story is mainly about the difficulties in writing the music for the animated film of Watership Down in 1978. Malcolm Williamson was asked to provide the score, but his plate was too full and he never got around to it. Unfortunately he didn't let on about this until the last minute; very irritating. Who could be found to do the job with so little time remaining? Angela: Rebecca Root, Christine Parker: Debra Baker, Marcus Dods: William Gaminara, Malcolm Williamson: Chris Pavlo, John Sanders and Larry Ashmore: David Seddon, other parts: Evie Killip. Producer: Gaynor Macfarlane.

27 Mar: A History of Paper
By Oliver Emanuel, rpt. A love story in which a man sorts through the contents of a cardboard box; each piece of paper he picks out holds a memory. Pieced together, the memories tell the story of a love affair. Also included is a brief and sometimes fictional history of paper. Him: Mark Bonnar, Her: Lucy Gaskell. Producer: Kirsty Williams.

30 Mar: Bread and Butter
By Jennifer Bell. This isn't really a drama; Jennifer is a composer from Bristol, and this broadcast is her song cycle about human emotions in office life (a capella) interwoven with stories of love and yearning. Producer: Beth O'Dea.

3 Apr: Finding Love at the End of the World
By Declan Dineen. A romantic comedy, set at the South Pole. A scientist's old flame arrives at his research station. Can he win her over before a giant asteroid wrecks his plans? Rory: Owen Whitelaw, Isobel: Jasmine Hyde, Wanda: Buffy Davis, Vance: Ryan Early. Producer: Bruce Young.

5 Apr: Holbein's Skull
By Martyn Wade. A light-hearted comedy inspired by Holbein's painting "The Ambassadors". This painting is famed for the ephemera surrounding the two men which has led historians to attribute different meanings to the picture. Martyn's play imagines two French ambassadors to the court of Henry VIII negotiating Henry's argument with the Pope. They are persuaded to have their likenesses put onto canvas. Jean de Dinteville: George Farthing, Georges de Selve: Sam Alexander, Holbein and the King: Clive Hayward. Producer: Tracey Neale.

6 Apr: Love me Tender
By Ian McMillan, rpt. Comedy drama where all of the characters speak in different verse forms. A radio producer meets a group of anoraks (train spotters). He decides they might make a good subject for a feature, if they are interesting enough. Roy: Conrad Nelson, Phil: Bernard Wrigley, Beatty: Jonathan Keeble, Alice: Kate Coogan, Nigel: John Catterall. Producer: Gary Brown.

7 Apr: Saturday Play - Inspector Chen, 2 (sic): A Loyal Character Dancer
Rpt. from 12 Dec 2015; by Qiu Xiaolong. It's the early 1990s and a badly mutilated body is discovered in Bund Park, Shanghai. Chen sets to work to find the missing dancer the the heart of an international smuggling ring. Adapted for radio from the novel, by John Harvey. Chen: Jamie Zubairi, Yu: Dan Li, Catherine Rohn: Pippa Bennett-Warner, Party Secretary Li: Daniel York, Peiqin: Sarah Lam, Wen Liping: Liz Sutherland, Old Hunter: David Houslow, Qian: Caolan McCarthy, Lihua: Sam Dale, Qiao: Debra Baker, Liu: Chris Pavlo. Producer: David Hunter.(.....note from ND.... I think there is a slip in RT; this was advertised as episode 2 of 3, but there wasn't an episode last week; we had Moonraker instead because of the Easter weekend.

9 Apr: States of Mind: The Sky is Wider
Part 1 of 2, by Linda M Griffiths, rpt. The play imagines the inner world of a woman who has unresponsive wakefulness syndrome. Ella: Christine Bottomley, Charlie: Sydney Wade, Neurologist: Wil Johnson, Nurse: Yusra Warsama. Producer: Nadia Molinari.

10 Apr: States of Mind: Real Worlds
Part 2, by Jane Rogers, set in 2030, rpt. Ella has been in a state of unresponsive wakefulness for 14 years following a bike injury. She can communicate using virtual reality and a computer interface controlling a voive synthesizer, but her daughter has grown up without her mother's support and is reluctant to communicate with her ini this way. Ella: Christine Bottomley, Charlie: Katie West, Kieran: Max True, Pete: Thomas Pickles, Jim and the newsreader: Paul Barnhill. Producers: Nadia Molinari and Carrie Rooney.

12 Apr: How we're Loved
By Francesca Martinez. A young woman with cerebral palsy has to unravel secrets about her past. Stars the writer and Kevin Hely.

13 Apr: The Deletion Committee
By Mark Lawson. Play about social media and its growing influence. Following pressure from activists on social media, the trustees of a waxworks feel obliged to establish a deletion committee to remove the figures of celebrities who have been named and shamed on Facebook and the like. But when they start to target popular figures like Germaine Greer, the committee begins to question the process. Paul Freeman, Bill Paterson, Samantha Bond, Weruche Opia and Abram Rooney; producer Eoin O'Callaghan.

18 Apr: Someone, Somewhere
By Pat Davies, rpt. In May 1980, Jessie Earl, 22 years old, disappeared. Her flat was left as if she'd just popped out for a few minutes. She became a missing person until nine years later when her body was discovered. This is a drama-doc, mixing Jessie's diaries, interviews with her parents and poetic monologues based on Jessie's other writings. A piece of the same title by Pat Davies was broadcast on World Service on 11 Jan 2003, and RT says that this afternoon's programme was made in 2001 so I assume it is the same production. Jessie is played by Laura Rogers and the producer was Toby Swift.

19 Apr: The Sensitive: Heart of Darkness
By Alistair Jessiman, rpt; first half of a 90m play. The last adventure of Thomas Soutar. Part 1 of 2. Soutar faces his most painful case, at a religious retreat. His sixth sense tells him that a malevolent influence is nearby. The play is set in a remote part of rural Scotland. Thomas: Robin Laing, Kat: Julie Duncanson, Rollo: Steven Duffy, Aaron: Sean Biggerstaff, Fraser: Sean Scanlan, Suzanne: Molly Innes, David: Liam Brennan, DI Slater: Douglas Russell. Produced by Bruce Young.

21 Apr: The Kraken Wakes, 2
The classic by John Wyndham, conclusion. (I had reservations about the climate alarmist predictions we were given before each broadcast, which sounded almost as obsolete as acid rain, given that global temperatures stopped increasing twenty years ago. That said, this adaptation is quite different from any which has gone out before, updated to the present day and performed in front of an audience - a very good listen - Ed.)

28 Apr: Saturday Play: Vive la Republique
By Mike Walker. Based on true events: how the French president de Gaulle fled the Elysee Palace in 1968 and disappeared for six hours during the May Uprising, fearing armed attack and the fall of the government. He left PM Georges Pompidou alone and in charge. de Gaulle: Ronald Pickup, Yvonne de Gaulle: Barbara Flynn, Georges Pompidou: Philip Jackson, Michel: Steven Hartley, David Cohn-Bendit: Rory Fleck Byrne, Joxe and Massu: Nicholas Boulton, Fouchet and De Boissieu: Daniel Weyman. Producer: David Morley. 60m.

8 May: Rumpole and the Official Secret
By John Mortimer, ad. Richard Stoneman. Rumpole defends in a dubious espionage trial and gets drawn into a wine fraud. Cast - as yesterday.

9 May: Rumpole and the Quality of Life
By John Mortimer, ad. Richard Stoneman. The final Rumpole drama. Horace has to decide between Hilda and Phillida. Cast: as Monday.

10 May: Foreign Bodies: Keeping the Wolf Out,2
By Philip Palmer, in two episodes, rpt. 2: The Old Days. Societ investigators are determined to find the mole in the Ministry. Archivist Franciska Lazar finds herself in their sights as her detective husband investigates what becomes a brutal murder case. Cast etc: see 3 May.

21 May: From Marginal to Mainstream
Written by Caryne Chapman Clarke in collaboration with Marginal Voices. A series of pieces. MV is a beginners' theatre workshop for women rescued from trafficking. Producer: Karen Rose. Indie (Sweet Talk).

25 May: Polyonymous
By D.C.Jackson and David Ireland. Described in RT as 'a comic drama about culture, kidnapping and conception'. [This left me a bit nonplussed, but the play itself was excellent - very unusual and very comic-Ed]. Val: Amelia Bullmore, Suzi: Ria Zmitrovwicz, Torven: Kevin Guthrie, Morven: Gabriel Quigley. Producer: Kirsty Williams.

30 May: Love (sic)
By Jessica Swale, rpt from 2017. For those who don't know, the word 'sic' means "as written". The play is by Jessica Swale and RT describes it as a comic drama. Ruth tries to win back the love of her partner. Ruth: Jemima Rooper, Bridie: Isy Suttie, Tom: John Heffernan, the trick cyclist: Sara Kestelman, with Nicholas Murchie, Finlay Robertson and Keziah Joseph. Producer: Marion Nancarrow.

31 May: Thin Ice
By Amy Rosental, rpt. from last May, when it formed the final part of a 'Rosenthal trilogy'. The play is based on Amy's own experience of leaving home, and the unwillingness with which she initially embraced university life. Ben: Richard Lumsden, Edie: Georgis Groome, Tasha: Helen Monks, Julia: Susannah Wise, Anny: Sam Perry, Josh: Charlie Clements, Porter: Sanchia McCormack. Producer: Marion Nancarrow.

1 Jun: County Lines
By Amelia Bullmore.A young black woman sits opposite a middle-aged white woman on a train. Neither of them is what she seems.Joy: Brid Brennan, Umi: Tamara Lawrance, with Sean Murray as the steward, Ryan Early, Nahel Tzegai, Ryan Whittle and Lauren Cornelius. Producer: Mary Peate.

1 Jun: Eskimo Day
Repeated from last April. By Jack Rosenthal, adapted by his daughter Amy for radio and broadcast as a Friday Play, 9pm. Is this slot being reinstated, I wonder? The play is set in 1966. Two sixth-form students are heading for Cambridge, with their respective parents, for their University interview - will they get in? Neil: David Moorst, Pippa: Rosie Day. Neil's parents: Pooky Quesnel and Nicholas Gleaves, Pippa's parents: Lucy Robinson and Ben Miles. James Poole: Timothy West, Simon Poole: Samuel West. Other parts played by Georgie Glen, Sarah Ridgeway, Maeve Wells, Simon Ludders, David Sturzaker and Chetna Pandya. Producer: Marion Nancarrow.

2 Jun: Saturday Play - Escaped Alone
By Caryl Churchill. This play was first performed at London's Royal Theatre in 2016. Four seventy-year-old women are talking, in a garden, gossiping. They interrupt each other, lose their train of thought, and wander off on tangents. However, one of them is a prophet of the forthcoming apocalypse where many will starve; others will eat rats; chemical leaks will poison everyone apart from private patients who will be able to buy gas masks in assorted colours: revolutionary thinking from an entirely female perspective. (summarised from Jane Anderson's review in RT) Adapted from the stage play, with the original cast: Sally: Deborah Findlay, Vi: June Watson, Lena: Kika Markham, Mrs. Jarrett: Linda Bassett. [I wonder if they used scripts - Ed]. Producer: Susan Roberts, director: James MacDonald.

5 Jun: The Interrogation, 2 - Jack
By Roy Williams. Whilst Max and Sean interview a man suspected of shoplifting, they uncover something more serious. Cast and production - see 4 Jun.

6 Jun: The Interrogation, 3 - Heather
By Roy Williams. A man is attacked in his own home, and Max and Sean can't find anyone with a motive for doing it. Cast and production - see 4 Jun.

7 Jun: Hilda
By Marie NDiaye (sic), a French-Senegalise novelist. This is Marie's first radio play, and it examines modern-day slavery. The wealthy Mrs. Lemarchaud becomes obsessed with her new nanny, Hilda, and develops a relationship with the woman's husband to find out more about her. Dramatised by Sarah Woods. Mrs. Lemarchaud: Sian Phillips, Corinne: Rachel Austin, Franck: Nick Haverson. Producer: Susan Roberts.

8 Jun: Because
By Trevor Preston, rpt, who died last month. Ruth is a successful investigative journalist until a terrible accident befalls her in France. She has no recollection of what happened ... her physical recovery has to take second place to her need to remember what happened on that dreadful night. Ruth: Raquel Cassidy, Dr. Quinn: Caroline Catz, Elsa: Jasmine Hyde, Bernard: Stephane Cornicard, Jean: Chris Pavlo, Farid: Maximilien Seweryn, Rushmer: Ewan Bailey, Professor: Sean Baker. Producer: Toby Swift.

9 Jun: Saturday Play - Shadowbahn
In the series 'Dangerous Visions'. By Steve Erickson. From the novel of the same title, adapted for radio by Anita Sullivan. The Twin Towers have reappeared in South Dakota. Some teenagers go there to investigate. Zan: Mike Iveson, Zema: Antu Yacob, with Robbie Tann, Patch Darragh, Tasha Lawrence, Gibson Frazier and Robert J McArthur, Pete McElligott, Chris Dwane, Sara Berg, Reynaldo Piniella and Raphael Martin. Producers: Judith Kampfner and Steve Bond. 60m.

10 Jun: Classic Serial - The Double.
By Jonathan Holloway. More 'Dangerous Visions'. This is a re-imagining of a story by Dostoyevsky. A lonely civil servant is driven mad when his life is stolen by a doppelganger. Golyadkin and the doppelganger: Joseph Millsom, Olsufy: Sean Murray, with Elizabeth Counsell, Kerry Gooderson, Lauren Cornelius, Joseph Ayre, Ryan Whittle and Ryan Early. Producer: Gemma Jenkins.

13 Jun: First World Problems, 3 - What Country, Friends, is This?
By Martin Jameson. What would happen if the UK broke apart?

14 Jun: First World Problems, 4 - The Price
By Martin Jameson. On the verge of civil war. The drama draws on research from BBC correspondents, analysts, contingency planners, and those with first-hand experience of the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s.

15 Jun: First World Problems, 5 - Home
By Martin Jameson. Conclusion.

16 Jun: Saturday Play - Wild Honey, 1
By Checkhov, ad. Michael Frayn, from the play "Platonov". Platonov is the name of the central character; a self-loathing teacher and womaniser, and the story is set at a summer party. Platonov -David Tennant, with Elliot Levey, Sasha Behar, Christian Rodska, John Hollingworth, Rupert Vansittart, Eva Feiler, Prisca Bakare, Nigel Cooke, Olivia Darnley, Ben Onwukwe and Forbes Masson. Producer: Clive Brill. Indie (Brill Productions).

18 Jun: Speak
In the "Dangerous Visions" (DV) series. By Philip Palmer, about the power of words. Lucian has a vocabulary limited to 1500 words and Clara wants to teach him about those which are forbidden. Clara - Pippa Haywood, Lucian: Andrew Gower.

20 Jun: Freedom
By Gary Owen. DV series. A story set in the near future, questioning the meaning of freedom of speech. A new law has been introduced which has licensed the freedom to say what you want.Marian: Suzanne Packer, Jamie: Connor Allen, with Brendan Charleson and Clare Cage. Producer: Gilly Adams.

22 Jun: While We're Here
By Barney Norris, adapted for radio from the stage play. Play about a relationship which had a 20-year gap in the middle. Eddie: Andrew French, Carol:Tessa Peake-Jones; Andrew and Carol starred in the original stage version.

23 Jun: Saturday Play: Seven Songs for Simon Dixelius
By Sebastian Baczkiewicz. A drama with songs. SImon has been jilted on his wedding day. A girl group with its members clad in shimmering dresses follows him around and sings songs to him, but no-one else can hear or see them. Simon: Arthur Darvill, Kiyoko Jones: Kerry Gooderson, Larry: Ryan Early, Imogen: Hannah McPake. Producer: Helen Perry.

24 Jun: Classic Serial slot: Meet James McLevy
This is a 1-hour remake of the first McLevy episode which went out in 1999, using the cast of the later series. The death of a bank manager and lay preacher from a heart attack might have been straightforward had he not be found dead and naked in the river. Assisted by Constable Mulholland, newly arrived from Ireland, McLevy investigates. Rpt. McLevy: Brian Cox, Jean: Siobhan Redmond, Mulholland: Michael Perceval-Maxwell, Roach: David Ashton, Hannah: Colette O'Neill, Robert Forsythe: Tony Cownie, Donny Shields: Keiran Gallacher, Mary Forsythe: Kathry Howden, Jessie: Gemma McMullan, Jarvis:Robert Jack . Produced by Bruce Young.

26 Jun: The Corrupted, 2
Whilst Brian is in jail, Joseph continues to launder money for South American drug barons.

27 Jun: The Corrupted, 3
Joseph will stop at nothing to increase his influence, but his plans are jeopardised when the head of the Secret Service threatens to tell his wife everything.

28 Jun: The Corrupted, 4
Will the Prime Minister agree to Joseph's knighthood?

29 Jun: The Corrupted, 5
Brian is still in jail, and Joseph is now Joseph Olinska, M.P.

30 Jun: Saturday Play - The Thrill of Love (Ruth Ellis)
By Amanda Whittington; originally a stage play about Ruth Ellis, a model and nightclub hostess, who was the last woman in Britain to be hanged. This is about the women she knew in the last part of her life. Ruth: Maxine Peake, Sylvia: Siobhan Finneran, Jack Gale: Joe Armstrong, Vickie Martin: Phoebe Dynevor, Doris Judd: Victoria Brazier, Home Secretary (Lloyd George) - Alan Williams. Producer: Justine Potter; director: Kate Chapman. Rpt. from 2016.

3 Jul: The Corrupted, 7
Brian is still in jail for a crime he did not commit - though he could easily have been imprisoned for other crimes - if he'd been caught. He still thinks Joseph Oldman, aka Joseph Olinska MP, is responsible for his incarceration.

4 Jul: The Corrupted, 8
Brian is sent to Broadmoor after inciting riots protesting his innocence.

5 Jul: The Corrupted, 9
A convict is planning an escape; Brian decides to join him.

6 Jul: The Corrupted, 10
Will Brian get out of Broadmoor? Leah argues that he cannot be insane.

11 Jul: This is not a Banksy
By Alan Harris; comedy. Sam's life is turned upside-down when his girlfriend discovers a Banksy on his bottom. She insists they make it permanent at the tattoo parlour, and before long, Sam has become a living work of art. That's when his problems really begin. Sam: Elis James, Molly: Kimberley Nixon, Jan / Philida: Eiry Hughes, Tattooist: Steffan Rhodri, Eddy: Tim Key, Phil: Aled Pugh, Kirsty Lang: herself. Producer: James Robinson; BBC Wales. Rpt. from 2016.

12 Jul: The Trial of Joseph Knight
By May Sumbwanyambe; fact-based. In the late 1700s, Sir John Wedderburn, a plantation owner, returned to Scotland from the West Indies with an African slave, Joseph Knight. He educated Joseph and used him as a domestic servant. When the slave ran away, his escape and recapture eventually helped lead to the abolition of slavery in Britain.
Joseph: Nana Amoo-Gottfried, Sir John: Ron Donachie, Annie Thomson: Anita Vettesse, Margaret Wedderburn: Helen Mackay, Sheriff Swinton: John Buick. Producer: Bruce Young.

18 Jul: Holy Father
By Mark Lawson. Is this a repeat? I seem to remember it, but no repeat indicated in RT. By Mark Lawson. In the Vatican in the near future, 120 cardinals gather in the Sistene chapel to elect a new pontiff. For the first time since 1159, he might be English. Cardinal Faber: Nick Dunning, Cardinal Simouri: Jude Akuwudike, Rachel grealish: Lisa-Ann MaLaughlin, Martha Keen: Scarlett Brookes, Tom Graham: Patrick FitzSymons, Cardinal O'Callaghan: Pat Laffan, Padro Antenucci: Faolan Morgan. Producer: Eoin O'Callaghan.

19 Jul: Big Time
By Jonathan Holloway. Repeat of the play about the fictitious meeting of Cervantes and Shakespeare.Cervantes: Simon Callow, Shakespeare: Nicky Henson, Regina: Laura Elphinstone. Producer: Tim Dee.

20 Jul: Operation Crucible
By Kieran Knowles. WW2 story; in 1940 a hotel in Sheffield was hit by a German bomb. 70 people died. The play encapsulates the events as we meet four fictional people affected by them. Bob: Salvatore D'Aquailla, Tommy: Matthew Wilson, Arthur: Joseph Ayre, Phil: Ross Anderson, Elaine/Martha: Kerry Gooderson, Foreman/Dad: John Lightbody. Producer: Toby Swift.

21 Jul: Saturday Play -Master of the Mint
By David Ashton. After 30 years as a don at Cambridge, Newtons is offered a new job at the Royal Mint. He is asked to investigate and put a stop to the manufacture of false coin. The penalty for those caught doing it is death because it qualifies as treason. William Gaminara as Newton, with Gunnar Cauthary, Kerry Gooderson, Nicholas Tizzard, Michael Nardone, Jonathan Forbes, Ryan Early, Lauren Cornelius, Sean Murray and Gerard McDermott. Producer: Bruce Young.

22 Jul: Classic Serial slot: The Man Who Would Be King
Story by Rudyard Kipling, ad. for radio by Mike Walker. Two con-men set out to conquer 'Kaffirstan' - a remote part of Afghanistan. Kipling, the narrator: Blake Ritson, Daniel Dravot: Richard Ridings, Peachey Carnehan: Samuel James, with Peter Polycarpou, Lauren Cornelius, Joseph Ayre, Stephen Hogan, Ryan Early, Ryan Whittle and John Lightbody. Producer: Abigail le Fleming.

24 Jul: Poetry In Motion
By Katie Hims. Five strangers board a train bound for Manchester. They have never met. We hear the thoughts of each person and these soon move from practical matters to inner demons: anxieties over presenting a vital pitch; running away from one's family; the death of a child. Katie Hims brings together the separate story lines and by the time the passengers disembark they all feel a little less lonely. (precis of Jane Anderson's remarks in RT). Valerie - Rachel Davies, Leonard - Alan Williams, Karla - Karla Crome, Reece - Ashley Kumar, Bridie - Adie Allen, Cashier - Kirsty Oswald, Train announcer - Nick Underwood. Producer: Mary Peate.

25 Jul: Rhoda and Pete get back on the Scene
By Ross Dunsmore. A woman who has just lost her husband, along with Pete, another person without a partner, is pushed into speed-dating by their children.Peter: Kenneth Cranham, Rhoda: Elizabeth Counsell, Mari: Valeria Gogan, Seb: Ryan Whittle, waitress: Lauren Cornelius. Producer: Peter Kavanagh.

27 Jul: The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, 2
Conclusion of the story which began yesterday.

28 Jul: Saturday Play: The War of the Worlds, 1
Herbert Wells' famous story, dramatized by Melissa Murray. There have been strnge explosions on the surface of Mars. It seems that this is the precursor to an invasion of Earth. Robert: Blake Ritson, Billy: Samuel James, Ogilvy: John Dougall, Margaret: Sanchia McCormack, Curate: Carl Prekopp, Gus: David Sterne, Dora: Maeve Bluebell Wells, Vicar: Finlay Robertson, Carswell: Nick Murchie, women: Sarah Ridgeway and Georgie Glen, Constable: John Bowler, Telegraph: David Sturzaker. Producer: Marc Beeby.

29 Jul: Classic Serial slot: 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
By Jules Verne, dramatized by Gregory Evans. Captain Nemo is a renegade submariner who will have nothing to do with the human race. The story is about his travels under the sea. Captain Nemo: Sagar Arya, Professor Aronnax: Neil McCaul, Connie Arronax: Madeleine Hatt, Ned Land: David Seddon, Capt. Farragut: Philip Bretherton. Producer: Marc Beeby.

30 Jul: The Fix
By Cat Jones. Mark arrives home very late one night, having had too much to drink. At 2am there seems to be an intruder in the dining room. Lucy: Sophia Di Martino, Mark: Ben Addis, Angie: Julie Hesmondhalgh, Charlie: Cash Tilston. Producer: Sharon Sephton. Rpt.

31 Jul: Festival
By Sarah Wooley, set in 1962, when the novelist Elizabeth Howard, later married to Kingsley Amis, took on the job of running the Cheltenham Literary Festival. In 1956 she had been one of its resident young writers. The job of running the event was far from straightforward. Elizabeth: Melody Grove, John Moore: Tony Gardner, Colin Howard: Will Howard, Kingsley: Jonathan Forbes, with Emma Handy (three parts) and John Lightbody (three parts). Producer: Gaynor Macfarlane.

2 Aug: Where this service will connect
By Katherine Jakeways. Episode 3 of her romantic comedy. Suzie arrives at the office to see David; she is the worse for wear after a party the night before. It's two years since they sat next to each other on a train journey; now she needs his help. Suzie: Rosie Cavaliero, David: Justin Edwards, Joe: Richard Nicholls, Receptionist: Katherine Jakeways. Producer: James Robinson. For other episodes - see 27-28 Apr 2017.